148 



MANUAL OF MODERN VITICULTURE. 



digging (Fig. 121). The soil ploughed in this manner (Fig. 

 123) is termed "saddled" in the Herault. Workmen per- 

 form this with very great skill in Provence, Gironde, and 

 Charente. 



The first ploughing is done by hand or with ploughs. In 

 the first case a hoe or a hook is used, sometimes a spade or 

 a fork. Figs. 124 and 125 show the different tools used for 

 this work. 



The saddled disposition of the soil in the Herault may be 

 considered as the best type of aeration ploughing done by 

 hand. A workman follows the diagonal of the squares, so as 

 to obtain as high a relief as possible, and accumulates 

 the soil, forming a high ridge between the lines and a furrow 

 on the line of stumps (Fig. 121). The lumps should not be 

 broken, so as to retain the surface upon which the air can 

 act. When ploughs are used they should be made so as to 

 get as close as possible to the stump without breaking the 

 spurs. The first furrow should be turned in the centre of 

 the lines, turning the sods towards it, and going as close as 

 possible to the vine. The small strip of non-ploughed ground 

 remaining at the foot of the vines is dug by hand. The ploughs 

 most used in the South of France are : The cabat of the 

 Gironde, which is not a very good plough, 

 but serves the purpose very well ; the vigneron 

 plough of the Aude, which is formed of a 



Fig. 124. 



Hook used in the 



Herault. 



rt 



Fig. 125. 



Different tools used for digging in the Herault. 

 (After M. Mares.) 



long beam, used as a shaft on one side ; on this beam a 

 perpendicular swingle-bar is fixed, to the extremity of which 

 is fastened a trace (Fig. 126). The horse is yoked on the 

 side of the plough beam, so that the body is deflected on 

 the side. 



